The Congress on Monday came down hard on the government asking it to "wake up from its slumber" after two Indian soldiers were killed on the LoC and their bodies mutilated by Pakistan.

The party urged the prime minister to take the opposition into confidence while framing a policy to tackle such incidents.

Holding the government responsible for the "absence of policy or direction to tackle Pakistan or terrorism", the Congress took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking when he will display "his 56-inch chest" to Pakistan.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi also strongly condemned the killings and described them as a "barbaric and disgraceful act".

"The government must move beyond platitudes and hold Pakistan to account," he tweeted.

Congress' senior spokesperson Anand Sharma said such cowardly acts are unacceptable in a civilised society and are not conducive to Pakistan's own interests and security.

Expressing concern over rise in terrorist incidents in the country post-September 2016 surgical strike, he attacked the BJP-led NDA government over its Kashmir policy saying "it has been a disaster marked by political opportunism".

AICC in-charge of communications Randeep Surjewala said 200 soldiers have been martyred in Jammu and Kashmir since May, 2014 and asked what this government was doing and added that the incident displays "lack of a credible political leadership in the country and absence of a policy or direction" in this regard.

"It really shows a serious lapse in national security on part of the present BJP Government. When will BJP government wake up from its slumber. We have seen enough rhetoric and we have seen a lot of words. It is high time for a decisive policy and a decisive line to tackle terrorism, as also to tackle Pakistan," Surjewala said.

He also asked when we can India have a credible and decisive policy to tackle Pakistan and to deal with terrorism and for how long will the nation have a "complete vacuum in our diplomacy as also the strategic policy of dealing with Pakistan in terrorism".

"Was 56-inch chest an empty 'jumla'? Pakistan has been attacking India with impunity. When is Prime Minister Modi planning to show off his '56-inch chest' to them and send them cowering?" he asked.